MIT/CRE is excited to welcome The Proptech Connection (PTC), represented by Co-founders Stephen Macdonald and Ivo van Breukelen. They will be presenting in a guest lecture during Prof. Siqi Zheng and Lecturer Zhengzhen Tan’s Sustainable Real Estate course on March 30th.
The PTC is a globally trusted Proptech expert and during the course they will be providing insights into the verticals of Real Estate, Proptech + Sustainability, and how the industry is marrying these together.
Stephen Macdonald – Partner
Stephen loves bringing emerging technology stories to life through data and relishes the chance to build something new. His goal is to use digital platforms to remove real estate’s dependency on relationships – and give the best tech ideas a fighting chance to make an impact.
Stephen brings a refreshingly broad depth of experience across every real estate asset class, along with the rigour of commercial investment and an understanding of the potential of new technology beyond the hype. He held senior roles in venture capital investment and real estate for over 17 years, where he reviewed over 1700 investment propositions, invested in several emerging technologies and helped over25 start-ups globally with capital raise, strategy and financial and go-to-market models.
His extensive real estate expertise includes roles as Investment Director of Australia’s largest proptech Venture Capital Fund, and COO of a Real Estate fund management business. He also learned to navigate long deal times as Investment Manager for Sigma Capital Sustainable Energy Venture Capital Fund in the UK.
When leading the Data Analytics team for ASX-listed REIT Mirvac, Stephen used technology to optimise the $2bn Residential Division Portfolio and also worked with its Capital Transaction team.
Stephen has a Masters in Economics and Law (University of Edinburgh) and is a qualified Chartered Accountant (Scotland).
He leads The PropTech Connection team in Sydney, Australia, and his love of rugby has seen him previously live and work in France and South Africa.
Ivo Van Breukelen – Partner
Ivo is fascinated by the real estate revolution taking place thanks to proptech, SmartCity and blockchain. He brings a rich global perspective, having lived and worked in Europe, Asia, South America and now the USA. He shares this extensive international commercial real estate and construction network with our emerging proptechs, tech buyers and investors.
Ivo is a known pioneer in the built environment space and has hosted several guest lectures – including for Harvard on green infrastructure and its impact on the built environment. He is also highly regarded as an ambitious dealmaker who is both efficient and trusted, and has over six years’ proptech experience, working with construction companies, real estate owners, developers, builders and the design community.
Originally from the Netherlands, Ivo has a Masters in International Business (Tilburg University). He is currently based in Chicago, Illinois in the US.
